Plumbers to the Rescue: Lessons from the Calgary Floods

Plumbers were in high demand in the aftermath of the June floods in Calgary. We provided our expert plumbing services for basement flooding, sewage backup and other flood related issues to our customers promptly.

First and foremost we gave a 10% discount to all flood victims. Secondly, instead of pursuing new work we put our own customers first. We ran through our client list in the flood affected areas and gave our clients a call to check on them and their needs.

By putting our own customers first, we made sure that our people were taken care of. We pumped basements and installed sewage back flow devices. Since June we have completed bathroom repairs and renovations working with our customers’ insurance companies. As we worked with our clients we have seen a lot of other people suffer due to hack work and mistakes. Sadly, some tradespeople were there just to grab plumbing work without any expertise or skill.

As soon as we heard the news of the flood, we made sure we had the inventory in anticipation of the work ahead. Instant Plumbing had water heaters for our customers when many didn’t. We spent $100,000 just to make sure we had the right inventory right away. In a high demand situation you can get cut short and that’s exactly what happened.

Based on our learnings from the Calgary floods, here are some tips for your home:

Whenever there is a lot of rain, monitor the situation around your house. Make sure that any water is directed away from the foundation and away from the house. Keep a vigilant eye on any rain water coming into your basement.

Get your sewer backup devices regularly checked and serviced. There is nothing worse than the system not working when you need it. Have backup pumps. They are not expensive (under $300) compared to the damage they can prevent. We can install your pump so it’s easy for you to change the backup in case it’s needed. In a citywide emergency like the floods, plumbers aren’t readily available. We install the pump such that you don’t have to be a tradesman to put in the backup.

Keep all personal valuable belongings off the floors and preferably not in the basement or lowest level of your house. We can always put in a furnace but can never replace your memories. One of the saddest things we saw was people losing photos and family memories they had hoped to pass on to the next generations.

Store documents and photos in shelves in the garage or the top level of the house.

Keep the contact information of your trusty plumber and other service people you depend on handy. Don’t rely on just anyone to work in your house.

The June floods taught us all many lessons. They also brought many communities together. Do you have any stories from the floods?

Get in touch with us if you have any questions or to discuss your plumbing needs! We love hearing from our customers.